Mobile communication system with fallback strategy for a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method of operating a mobile communication system of a motor vehicle is provided for initiating a voice call with a third party. The system includes an ECU, and the ECU includes a controller and a memory storing computer code. The method includes the steps of: (a) initiating a timer; (b) operating the ECU in a first mode in which the ECU attempts to engage in a VoNR call via a first network; (c) repeating step (b) within a predetermined amount of time until the ECU successfully engages in the VoNR call; and (d) operating the ECU in a second mode to attempt to engage in a VoLTE call via a second network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not successfully engage in the VoNR call within a predetermined amount of time.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method of operating a mobile communication system of a motor vehicle for initiating a voice call with a third party, the mobile communication system including an electronic control unit (ECU) served by first and second IP Multimedia Subsystem (IMS) networks, the ECU having a controller and a memory storing computer code, the method comprising the steps of:
 (a) initiating, using the controller, a timer; 
 (b) operating, using the controller, the ECU in a first IMS mode in which the ECU attempts to engage in a Voice Over New Radio (VoNR) call via the first IMS network; 
 (c) repeating step (b) within a predetermined amount of time until the ECU engages in the VoNR call; 
 (d) operating, using the controller, the ECU in a second IMS mode to attempt to engage in a Voice Over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) call via the second IMS network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not engage in the VoNR call within the predetermined amount of time; 
 (e) initiating, using the controller, a counter to count a number of attempts by the ECU in the first IMS mode to engage in the VoNR call; 
 (f) incrementing, using the controller, the counter for each attempt by the ECU in the first IMS mode to engage in the VoNR call; and 
 (g) operating, using the controller, the ECU in the second IMS mode to attempt to engage in the VoLTE call in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first IMS mode did not engage in the VoNR call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
     
     
       2. The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 resetting, using the controller, the timer in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first IMS mode did not successfully engage in the VoNR call within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in an Internet Protocol mode (IP mode) to attempt to engage in a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call via an Internet Protocol network (IP network) in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the second mode did not successfully engage in the VoLTE call within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
       3. The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 initiating, using the controller, a counter to count a number of unsuccessful attempts by the ECU in the second IMS mode to engage in the VoLTE call; 
 incrementing, using the controller, the counter for each unsuccessful attempt of the ECU in the second IMS mode to engage in the VoLTE call; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in the IP mode to attempt to engage in the VoIP call via the IP network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the second IMS mode did not successfully engage in the VoLTE call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
     
     
       4. The method of  claim 2  further comprising:
 resetting, using the controller, the timer in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the second IMS mode did not successfully engage in the VoLTE call within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in a third IMS mode to attempt to engage in a Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) call via a third IMS network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the IP mode did not successfully engage in the VoIP call within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
       5. The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 initiating, using the controller, a counter to count a number of unsuccessful attempts by the ECU in the IP mode to engage in the VoIP call via the IP network; 
 incrementing, using the controller, the counter for each unsuccessful attempt of the ECU in the IP mode to engage in the VoIP call; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in the third IMS mode to attempt to engage in the CSFB call in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the IP mode did not successfully engage in the VoIP call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
     
     
       6. The method of  claim 4  wherein the steps of operating the ECU in first and second IMS modes via the first and second IMS networks comprise operating the ECU on a single non-standalone network. 
     
     
       7. A method of operating a mobile communication system of a motor vehicle for initiating a voice call with a third party, the mobile communication system including an electronic control unit (ECU) served by first and second networks, the ECU having a controller and a memory storing computer code for execution by the controller, the method comprising:
 (a) initiating, using the controller, a timer; 
 (b) operating, using the controller, the ECU in a first mode in which the ECU attempts to engage in the voice call via the first network; 
 (c) repeating step (b) within a predetermined amount of time until the ECU engages in the voice call; 
 (d) operating, using the controller, the ECU in a second mode to attempt to engage in the voice call via the second network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time; 
 (e) initiating, using the controller, a counter to count a number of attempts by the ECU in the first mode to engage in the voice call; 
 (f) incrementing, using the controller, the counter for each attempt of the ECU in the first mode to engage in the voice call; and 
 (g) operating, using the controller, the ECU in the second mode to attempt to engage in the voice call in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not engage in the voice call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
     
     
       8. The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 providing the first network in the form of an IMS network and the second network in the form of an IP network; 
 determining, using the controller, an availability of the IMS network based on at least one of a bit error rate, a cellular signal, and a service fee associated with the IMS network; 
 determining, using the controller, an availability of the IP network via a Wi-Fi connection; 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU to attempt to engage in a Voice Over Internet Protocol call (VoIP call) via the IP network in response to the controller determining that at least one of:
 the bit error rate is above an error threshold value; 
 the cellular signal is below a signal threshold value; 
 the service fee is above a fee threshold value; and 
 the IP network is available via the Wi-Fi connection; and 
 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU to attempt to engage in a Voice Over New Radio call (VoNR call) via the IMS network in response to the controller determining that at least one of:
 the bit error rate is below the error threshold value; 
 the cellular signal is above the signal threshold value; 
 the service fee is below the fee threshold value; and 
 the IMS network is available. 
 
 
     
     
       9. The method of  claim 7  further comprising:
 resetting, using the controller, the timer in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in a third mode to attempt to engage in the voice call via a third network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the second mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
       10. The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 initiating, using the controller, a counter to count a number of unsuccessful attempts by the ECU in the second mode to engage in the voice call; 
 incrementing, using the controller, the counter for each unsuccessful attempt of the ECU in the second mode to engage in the voice call; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in the third mode to attempt to engage in the voice call via the third network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the second mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
     
     
       11. The method of  claim 9  further comprising:
 resetting, using the controller, the timer in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the third mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in a fourth mode to attempt to engage in the voice call via a fourth network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the third mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time. 
 
     
     
       12. The method of  claim 11  further comprising:
 initiating, using the controller, a counter to count a number of unsuccessful attempts by the ECU in the third mode to engage in the voice call via the third network; 
 incrementing, using the controller, the counter for each unsuccessful attempt of the ECU in the third mode to engage in the voice call; and 
 operating, using the controller, the ECU in the fourth mode to attempt to engage in the voice call in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the third mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
     
     
       13. A mobile communication system of a motor vehicle, the mobile communication system comprising:
 an electronic control unit (ECU) served by first and second networks for initiating a voice call with a remote third party, wherein the ECU comprises:
 a controller; and 
 a memory storing computer code for execution by the controller, with the computer code configured to at least:
 (a) initiate a timer; 
 (b) operate the ECU in a first mode in which the ECU attempts to engage in a Voice Over New Radio (VoNR) call via the first network; 
 (c) repeat step (b) within a predetermined amount of time until the ECU engages in the VoNR call; 
 (d) operate the ECU in a second mode to attempt to engage in a Voice Over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) call via the second network in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not engage in the VoNR call within the predetermined amount of time; 
 (e) initiate a counter to count a number of attempts by the ECU in the first mode to engage in the voice call; 
 (f) increment the counter for each attempt by the ECU in the first mode to engage in the voice call; and 
 (g) operate the ECU in the second mode to attempt to engage in the voice call in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not engage in the voice call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
 
 
     
     
       14. The mobile communication system of  claim 13  wherein the computer code is further configured to at least:
 reset the timer and reset the counter to count a number of unsuccessful attempts by the ECU in the second mode to engage in the voice call in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the first mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time; 
 increment the counter for each unsuccessful attempt by the ECU in the second mode to engage in the voice call; and 
 operate the ECU in a third mode to attempt to engage in the voice call via a third network in response to the controller determining that at least one of:
 the ECU in the second mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 the ECU in the second mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within a predetermined number of attempts. 
 
 
     
     
       15. The mobile communication system of  claim 14  wherein the computer code is further configured to:
 reset the timer and reset the counter to count a number of unsuccessful attempts by the ECU in the third mode to engage in the voice call in response to the controller determining that the ECU in the second mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time; 
 increment the counter for each unsuccessful attempt of the ECU in the third mode to engage in the voice call; and 
 operate the ECU in a fourth mode to attempt to engage in the voice call via a fourth network in response to the controller determining that at least one of:
 the ECU in the third mode did not successfully engage in the voice call within the predetermined amount of time; and 
 the ECU in the third mode did not successfully engage in the voice call via the third network within a predetermined number of attempts; 
 
 wherein the steps of operating the ECU in first and second modes on the associated first and second networks comprise operating the ECU on a single non-standalone network. 
 
     
     
       16. The mobile communication system of  claim 15  wherein the voice call in the first mode is a Voice Over New Radio (VoNR) call, the voice call in the second mode is a Voice Over Long Term Evolution (VoLTE) call, the voice call in the third mode is a Voice Over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call, and the voice call in the fourth mode is a Circuit Switched Fallback (CSFB) call. 
     
     
       17. The mobile communication system of  claim 15  wherein two of the networks comprise an IMS network and an IP network, and the computer code is further configured to:
 determine an availability of the IMS network based on at least one of a bit error rate, a cellular signal, and a service fee associated with the IMS network; 
 determine an availability of the IP network via a Wi-Fi connection; 
 operate the ECU to attempt to engage in the voice call via the IP network in response to the controller determining that at least one of:
 the bit error rate is above an error threshold value; 
 the cellular signal is below a signal threshold value; 
 the service fee is above a fee threshold value; and 
 the IP network is available via the Wi-Fi connection; 
 
 operate the ECU to attempt to engage in the voice call via the IMS network in response to the controller determining that at least one of:
 the bit error rate is below the error threshold value; 
 the cellular signal is above the signal threshold value; 
 the service fee is below the fee threshold value; and 
 the IMS network is available.